Rats with different profiles of impulsive choice behavior exhibit differences in responses to caffeine and d-amphetamine and in medial prefrontal cortex 5-HT utilization

Behav Brain Res. 2008 Mar 5;187(2):273-83. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.09.020. Epub 2007 Sep 21.

Abstract

This study investigated if sub-populations of rats characterized by their basal level of impulsivity (BLI) in a delayed-reinforcement task, displayed differences in the functioning of neurotransmitter systems modulating impulsive choice behavior. For this, the effects of various doses of caffeine and d-amphetamine were investigated in three sub-populations of rats displaying pronounced differences in their impulsive choice behavior and their post-mortem serotonergic and dopaminergic functions were assessed. Caffeine and d-amphetamine reduce impulsive choice behavior only in the Medium BLI sub-population. Dopamine utilization was similar in the three sub-populations, but serotonin utilization was lower in the prefrontal cortex of the Medium and Very high BLI sub-populations as compared to the low BLI one. These results suggest that anti-impulsive effects of caffeine and d-amphetamine are dependent on the BLI of rats and that a low serotonergic function in the prefrontal cortex may be a trait marker of impulsivity evaluated by impulsive choice behavior.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Caffeine / pharmacology*
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / pharmacology*
  • Choice Behavior / drug effects
  • Dextroamphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / metabolism
  • Impulsive Behavior / drug therapy*
  • Impulsive Behavior / metabolism
  • Inhibition, Psychological
  • Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Long-Evans
  • Reward
  • Serotonin / metabolism
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Serotonin
  • Caffeine
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Dextroamphetamine
  • Dopamine